Figure 2
The figure contains two panels titled “Threshold map for early iterations of M E L scale” and “Category probability graphs for item 6 in the M E L scale”. Top panel: The horizontal axis is labeled “Disordered threshold” and ranges from negative 12 to 13 with increments of 1 unit. The vertical axis lists 20 rows from top to bottom, labeled “Descriptor for Item 1” through “Descriptor for Item 20”. Each row contains a horizontal segmented bar divided into five ordered categories labeled “0”, “1”, “2”, “3”, and “4”. The segments progress from left to right in increasing category order. Most items show ordered thresholds with category “0” on the far left, after that category 1, then category 2, then category 3, and category “4” on the far right. A note “Disordered threshold” appears below the axis. Item 6 is marked with “xx” and does not display a segmented bar. Bottom panel: “Category probability graphs for item 6 in the M E L scale”. The horizontal axis is labeled “Person Location (logits)” and ranges from negative 16 to 14 with labeled ticks at negative 16, negative 11, negative 6, negative 1, 4, 9, and 14. The vertical axis is labeled “Probability” and ranges from 0.0 to 1.0 with increments of 0.5 units. Five smooth curves labeled “0”, “1”, “2”, “3”, and “4” are plotted. Category “0” starts near probability 1.0 at (negative 16, 1.0) and decreases sharply toward 0 near (negative 5, 0). Category “1” forms a small peak around (negative 5, 0.3) and declines toward 0 near (negative 2, 0). Category “2” peaks near (negative 2, 0.7) and declines toward 0 near (2, 0). Category “3” rises near (0, 0.2), peaks close to (4, 1.0), and declines toward 0 near (9, 0). Category “4” rises sharply near (8, 0.5) and approaches probability 1.0 near (14, 1.0). A dashed horizontal reference line appears at probability 1.0. Note: All numerical data values are approximated.Disordered thresholds from MEL scale. Source: Authors’ own work